A Million Ways To Say 'I Love You'
Written by Lilly Neuer ♠ A Million Ways To Say 'I Love You' ---- One= Lilly Neuer rushed around the house, dealing with the dishes, comforting Luddy, ironing Manu's shirt so it was ready for his big game against BVB tomorrow...jeez, this mothering was harder than the young woman could ever have estimated. On top of that, she was conversing with a German man on Facebook who was interested in her spare coffee table. So, it was no surprise that she had to bite back a scream of frustration when the doorbell rang - and Manu couldn't answer it because he was in the shower. She'd heard of multitasking, but this was ridiculous. "I'm getting it, liebe!" She called, when Manu's customary cry of 'Door!' reached her ears. She looked in the mirror, trying not to appear as stressed out as she actually was as she opened the door. Her friend Livia - her best friend, stood on the doorstep before moving to embrace her. But no Basti, which Lilly found very bizarre - you hardly found them apart, and here she was, bold as brass. "Livia!" They hugged, laughing, before Lilly continued, brushing the snow from her friend's coat. "Come in, you'll catch cold. And yes. I know I'm starting to sound like your mother - maybe it's a side effect of the fact that I am a mother now...hot chocolate?" She put the kettle on, before rushing to get Manu a towel because he'd been an idiot and forgotten. When she finally managed to relax on the sofa, Livia rested a hand on her shoulder, looking at her with much interest. It had been a mistake for Lilly to believe she could hide her stress from her friend. Dinner was on, Ludwig was fed and in bed, Manu had a towel, his kit was ready, the dishes were done and the table was set - and after doing all that Lilly was very stressed indeed. "Hey Lil, you look stressed and tired," Livia commented, looking concerned. "Does Manu overwork you? I could ask Basti to kick his butt if he is. I mean seriously, in the fifteen minutes I've been here, you've done so much. It's like you're forty instead of twenty-five...doing so much it seems you've adapted a bit too well." "Oh no, I'm fine," Lilly replied a little too quickly. "Manu is fine, he just has a lot of training - you know how strenuous the programme is. I can't blame him, but I wish I had a little more time. Am I just having the pleasure of your company, or do you need something? If you need something, I'll do it - then I officially can relax." "I think I'd need a 24-7 camera to make sure you relax, Lil. And even then you and Manu would somehow hoodwink Basti and I, you guys are total geniuses. But...yes. I need something. You don't need to get up to do it, though," Livia pushes Lilly back into the seat she had just risen from with a smile. "I plan to propose to Basti tomorrow, after he wins against BVB." Lilly chuckled a little at her confidence - although she had the same confidence in Manu's skill as Livi did in Basti's - they knew neither of their boys would settle for another Dortmund Draw, as Manu called it. Her face twists in confusion, and she frowns a little, thinking - you could almost see the cogs in her head turning as she tried to crack the problem. "How could I help you with that...? I can't do anything bar propose to him for you, which I'm not doing. Don't tell me - you want to pull some kind of stunt, don't you, Livia? Normal just isn't your style, should have guessed you need some barmy plan to propose to Basti. You're crazy, Livi." |-| Two= "Luckily," Livia said with a crafty smile, "Bastian loves crazy. And no, as much as I love it, that was not a Frozen reference. I just meant, he genuinely loves crazy - he's nothing like that arrogant, filthy, dirty,cheating liar Prince Hans. If he was anything like him I wouldn't want to marry him - I think I'd rather marry him than Robben, though. Even though that's not saying much." "Livi - you'd marry your doorframe before you married Robben." Lilly pointed out. "You'd marry a speck of dust, too. Seriously, I'm pretty sure that's the one thing your 'Commandments of Livianess' forbid you to do, amongst other things. So...What did you need me for? Otherwise I'll never get it done." She sets down her empty cup with a smile, the hot chocolate making her tingly. "Liebe, shower's free!" Livia shook her head, as if to say, not while Manu might hear me! It made sense, he sucked at keeping secrets from Basti. Lilly took out her purse and drew 20 € from it, passed it to Manu as he walked in with a smile, inconspicuously winking at Livia. As Hetalia had taught her, she had to try appealing to the only thing that seemed to work. "This is Livia's Christmas gift, go get a drink with Basti!" Lilly told him. "Seriously, go have a pint! One you can drink and not have poured over your head. I daresay some of the boys will be there too." "Lilly, it's January. About as far from Christmas as you'll get." "Late Christmas gift then. She didn't think the football was substantial enough. You know her, perfectionism and all. She thought you'd like a beer. Although we were both tempted by the posters. Your face is high definition - not as good as the real thing of course. Go. Have fun, for us!" "Cool, I'll go get Basti and we'll go." He jogged out of the living room and left the house with a grin. "Can't believe he bought that." Livi stared incredulously at Manu's disappearing form. "Come on, Liv, it's beer, of course they'll buy it. Manu hasn't refused one yet. So..." Lilly prompted. "Neither has Basti." Livia chuckled. "So, I'm proposing to Basti. But I want to tell him I love him in a different language,you know?" "Poor Basti, you love to confuse him." "And you don't?" Livia frowned sceptically. "I know how much fun you had on April Fools, you love it." "That's April Fools! It's basically 'trick-your-husband-fest.'" Lilly smiled. "Fine, I do love confusing Manu." "I didn't need you to tell me, I knew in the first place." Placing her hand on the table, Livia shook her head. "You're an open book." "Oh well then," Lilly giggles. "Let's test it - what am I thinking of, future Livia Schweinsteiger?" "Pizza?" Livia guessed - usually her friend's thoughts consists of Bayern Munich, Manu, and pizza. "No, pie! Guess I'm not quite as open as you thought I was. You can't even guess that I'm thinking of pie." "Cherry?" Lilly's favourite flavour was cherry - so it was a good guess. But of course, Lilly wasn't that obvious. "No, apple," This went on for several rounds until Livia finally gave up, causing both of them to fall off the sofa, laughing. "How many languages?" Lilly asks. "How 'bout a million?" Livia pokes her tongue out, smiling cheekily. "Aw, come on Livi! Nobody needs a million ways to say 'I love you.'" |-| Three= "Well, I do," Livia says with a chuckle. "I want to be special...someone who'll go to the ends of the earth for their man. But okay, maybe not as many as a million. Clearly, you don't get sarcasm, I forgot." "You know I don't. And good - I don't know a million ways. Let's start with German -" Lilly jokes, laughing a little as Livi interrupted her. "I know ich liebe dich, Lilly," she says with a laugh. "I'd be insulted if you weren't trying so hard. Dear, Lilly, sometimes I wonder what happened the day we became friends. And no, I don't need you to tell me." "Damn! I was looking forward to that." Lilly put on a graduation cap as a joke. "Hello class, my name is Professor Neuer, and I'll be teaching you how to say 'I Love You.' Let's start with Romanian. Te iubesc." "Te iubesc. Got it." Livia says confidently, repeating it to herself before writing it down. A hour or so later, after about twenty languages, Livia had picked the ones she wanted. Bastian walked through the door, Manu at his side. Livia stopped him in the hallway, before getting on one knee. Manu and Lilly clutched each other quietly and listened, suppressing their screams. "Bastian, ich liebe dich, te iubesc...l'amour...I love you, Basti, will you marry me?" "Yes." Bastian grinned. "But just one 'I Love You' would have been ample...but of course I will marry you. You're the most beautiful girl in the world. No offense, Lilly." "None taken," she said. "Didn't I tell you one would be enough, Livia?" "You're more beautiful really," Manu grinned at Lilly, dipping her in his arms and kissing her. "Thanks Manu, but it's Livi and Basti that matter right now." She played 'Can You Feel The Love Tonight' and the couples waltzed till midnight. Once Lilly and Manu had gone, Basti got in bed with Livi. His 'Ich liebe dich, liebe.' was the last thing she heard before she fell asleep. Category:Stories Category:Livi/Basti Category:Page